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Saiyed ZM, Lugo JP. Impact of chromium dinicocysteinate supplementation on inflammation, oxidative stress, and insulin resistance in type 2 diabetic subjects: an exploratory analysis of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Food Nutr Res 2016; 60:31762. [PMID: 27687012 PMCID: PMC5043078 DOI: 10.3402/fnr.v60.31762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2016] [Revised: 08/12/2016] [Accepted: 08/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Chromium dinicocysteinate (CDNC) is a unique chromium complex consisting of chromium, niacin, and L-cysteine. Previous preclinical and clinical studies support the safety and efficacy of CDNC in modulating oxidative stress, vascular inflammation, and glycemia in type 2 diabetes. Objective Herein, we report the results of several exploratory analyses conducted on type 2 diabetic subjects who previously participated in a 3-month randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial and were treated with only metformin as standard diabetic care in addition to receiving the test supplementations. Design Results from 43 metformin users, who were randomly assigned to receive either placebo (P, n=13), chromium picolinate (CP, 400 µg elemental Cr3+/day, n=12), or CDNC (400 µg elemental Cr3+/day, n=18), were analyzed for blood markers of vascular inflammation, insulin resistance, and oxidative stress at baseline and at 3 months of supplementation. Results A statistically significant decrease in insulin resistance in the CDNC-supplemented cohort compared to placebo (p=0.01) was observed at 3 months. The CDNC group also demonstrated a significant reduction in insulin levels (p=0.03), protein carbonyl (p=0.02), and in TNF-α (p=0.03) compared to the placebo group. The CP group only showed a significant reduction in protein carbonyl levels (p=0.03) versus placebo. Conclusions When controlling for diabetes medication, CDNC supplementation showed beneficial effects on blood markers of vascular inflammation, insulin resistance, and oxidative stress compared to placebo. The findings suggest that CDNC supplementation has potential as an adjunct therapy for individuals with type 2 diabetes.
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Landman GWD, Bilo HJG, Houweling ST, Kleefstra N. Chromium does not belong in the diabetes treatment arsenal: Current evidence and future perspectives. World J Diabetes 2014; 5:160-164. [PMID: 24748929 PMCID: PMC3990317 DOI: 10.4239/wjd.v5.i2.160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2013] [Accepted: 03/14/2014] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Chromium is considered to have positive effects on insulin sensitivity and is marketed as an adjunctive therapy for inducing glucose tolerance in cases of insulin resistance (“the glucose tolerance factor”). Case reports on patients who received prolonged parenteral nutrition indeed showed that the absence of trivalent chromium caused insulin resistance and diabetes. However, whether patients with type 2 diabetes can develop a clinically relevant chromium deficiency is unclear. This review summarizes the available evidence regarding the potential effectiveness of chromium supplementation on glycemic control (Hemoglobin A1c levels) in patients with type 2 diabetes. No studies investigating the long-term safety of chromium in humans were found. All clinical trials that have been performed had a relative short follow-up period. None of the trials investigated whether the patients had risk factors for chromium deficiency. The evidence from randomized trials in patients with type 2 diabetes demonstrated that chromium supplementation does not effectively improve glycemic control. The meta-analyses showed that chromium supplementation did not improve fasting plasma glucose levels. Moreover, there were no clinically relevant chromium effects on body weight in individuals with or without diabetes. Future studies should focus on reliable methods to estimate chromium status to identify patients at risk for pathological alterations in their metabolism associated with chromium deficiency. Given the present data, there is no evidence that supports advising patients with type 2 diabetes to take chromium supplements.
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Herring BJ, Logsdon AL, Lockard JE, Miller BM, Kim H, Calderon EA, Vincent JB, Bailey MM. Long-term exposure to [Cr(3)O(O (2)CCH (2)CH (3)) (6)(H (2)O) (3)] (+) in Wistar rats fed normal or high-fat diets does not alter glucose metabolism. Biol Trace Elem Res 2013; 151:406-14. [PMID: 23271681 PMCID: PMC3567304 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-012-9580-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2012] [Accepted: 12/13/2012] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The essentiality of chromium(III) has been the subject of much debate, particularly in healthy subjects. Chromium(III)-containing supplements are widely used for body mass loss, building of lean muscle mass, and improving glucose and lipid metabolism. [Cr(3)O(O(2)CCH(2)CH(3))(6)(H(2)O)(3)](+), Cr3, is one of the most-studied chromium nutritional supplements. The current study evaluates the effects of long-term (15 months) supplementation with Cr3 on body mass and glucose metabolism in Wistar rats on traditional and cafeteria-style (high fat, high carbohydrate) diets. Male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups: (1) control diet (milled Harlan Teklad LM-485 rodent diet), (2) control diet+1 mg Cr3/kg body mass/day, (3) a cafeteria-style (CAF) diet (high fat, high carbohydrate), or (4) CAF diet+1 mg Cr3/kg/day. Cr3 supplementation had no effect on fasting blood glucose levels or blood glucose levels in response to glucose and insulin challenges. Rats consuming the CAF+Cr3 diet tended to have a significantly higher body mass than rats consuming the CAF diet, but necropsy results showed no difference in visceral fat or body wall thickness between groups. These data suggest that long-term Cr3 supplementation does not significantly affect body mass in rats consuming a normal diet or glucose levels or metabolism in rats consuming either diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Betty J Herring
- Department of Biological Sciences, Emporia State University, 1200 Commercial Street Campus, Box 4050, Emporia, KS 66801, USA
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Masharani U, Gjerde C, McCoy S, Maddux BA, Hessler D, Goldfine ID, Youngren JF. Chromium supplementation in non-obese non-diabetic subjects is associated with a decline in insulin sensitivity. BMC Endocr Disord 2012. [PMID: 23194380 PMCID: PMC3537689 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6823-12-31] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The use of chromium supplements is widespread for the prevention and treatment of diabetes mellitus but there are conflicting reports on efficacy, possibly reflecting discrepant effects across different populations. In the present studies, we test the hypothesis that chromium supplementation raises serum chromium levels and correspondingly improves insulin sensitivity. METHODS A double blind placebo-controlled randomized trial was conducted on 31 non-obese, normoglycemic subjects. After baseline studies, the subjects were randomized to placebo or chromium picolinate 500 μg twice a day. The primary endpoint was change in insulin sensitivity as measured by euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp. Pre-specified secondary endpoints included fasting lipids, blood pressure, weight, body composition measured by DXA scan. RESULTS After 16 weeks of chromium picolinate therapy there was no significant change in insulin sensitivity between groups (p=0.83). There was, however, a strong association between serum chromium and change in insulin resistance (β = -0.83, p=0.01), where subjects with the highest serum chromium had a worsening of insulin sensitivity. This effect could not be explained by changes in physiological parameters such as body weight, truncal fat and serum lipids with chromium therapy. CONCLUSIONS Chromium therapy did not improve insulin sensitivity in non-obese normoglycemic individuals. Further, subjects who have high serum chromium levels paradoxically had a decline in insulin sensitivity. Caution therefore should be exercised in recommending the use of this supplement. TRIAL REGISTRATION The study was registered on the NIH registry (clinicaltrials.gov) and the identifier is NCT00846248.
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Affiliation(s)
- Umesh Masharani
- Department of Medicine, Diabetes Center, University of California San Francisco, 400 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94143-1222, USA
| | - Christine Gjerde
- Department of Medicine, Diabetes Center, University of California San Francisco, 400 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94143-1222, USA
| | - Shelley McCoy
- Department of Medicine, Diabetes Center, University of California San Francisco, 400 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94143-1222, USA
| | - Betty A Maddux
- Department of Medicine, Diabetes Center, University of California San Francisco, 400 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94143-1222, USA
| | - Danielle Hessler
- Department of Family Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ira D Goldfine
- Department of Medicine, Diabetes Center, University of California San Francisco, 400 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94143-1222, USA
| | - Jack F Youngren
- Department of Medicine, Diabetes Center, University of California San Francisco, 400 Parnassus Avenue, San Francisco, CA, 94143-1222, USA
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Abstract
It has been recognized that chromium is an essential trace element associated with carbohydrate metabolism, and chromium deficiency causes an impaired glucose tolerance. Recently, however, Vincent et al. have reported that chromium is not an essential trace element. In the present report, the author evaluated the nutritional essentiality of chromium by reviewing several previous reports. In almost all previous reports, the chromium concentration in the animal feed used was higher than 0.1 μg/g, and it is difficult to consider that the experimental animals were in a low-chromium state. In addition, the amount of chromium administered to the animals for the improvement of glucose tolerance was at a pharmacological level, and corresponded to a level that far exceeded the human daily chromium intake (20 to 80 μg/day). On the other hand, recent research has clearly shown that feeding with a severely low-chromium diet (0.016 μg/g) does not impair glucose tolerance. The amount of chromium absorbed in humans estimated from chromium intake (20 to 80 μg/day), chromium absorption rate (1%), and urinary chromium excretion (<1 μg/day) is less than 1 μg/day, which is much lower than those of other essential trace elements. In addition, because there is an inconsistency between the chromium concentration in food and chromium intake, chromium intake seems to be dependent on chromium contamination during food processing and cooking. It is concluded that there is a high possibility that chromium is not an essential trace element.
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Thor MY, Harnack L, King D, Jasthi B, Pettit J. Evaluation of the comprehensiveness and reliability of the chromium composition of foods in the literature (). J Food Compost Anal 2011; 24:1147-1152. [PMID: 23066174 PMCID: PMC3467697 DOI: 10.1016/j.jfca.2011.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
In the early 1960s, trivalent chromium Cr(3+) became recognized as an essential trace element due to its potential metabolic and cardiovascular benefits. No comprehensive chromium database currently exists; thus a thorough review of the literature was conducted to examine the availability and reliability of chromium data for foods. A number of key issues were identified that challenge the feasibility of adding chromium to a food and nutrient database. Foremost, dietary chromium data reported in the literature prior to 1980 cannot be relied on because of problematic analytical issues before that time. Next, paucity of data emerged as an issue that could impede database completeness. Finally, large variation in reported chromium content of foods may render disputable representative chromium values. This variation has been speculated to originate from differences in growing and particularly processing foods. Furthermore, contamination of chromium from laboratory equipment and/or materials is possible and also believed to contribute to the variation observed in reported values. As a result, database developers must carefully consider the availability and reliability of information on the chromium composition of foods when deciding whether to incorporate chromium into or exclude it from a nutrient database.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayly Y. Thor
- Nutrition Coordinating Center, University of Minnesota, 1300 Second Street Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55454, United States
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Vincent JB. Chromium: celebrating 50 years as an essential element? Dalton Trans 2010; 39:3787-94. [PMID: 20372701 DOI: 10.1039/b920480f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Fifty years ago the element chromium was proposed to be an essential element for mammals with a role in maintaining proper carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. Over the next several decades, chromium nutritional supplements became so popular for weight loss and muscle development that sales were second only to calcium among mineral supplements. However, the failure to identify the responsible biomolecules that bind Cr and their mode of action has resulted in the status of Cr being readdressed in recent years. This review considers research on the biochemistry of Cr(III) over the last two decades and how the results have affected the current status of Cr as an essential element.
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Affiliation(s)
- John B Vincent
- Department of Chemistry and Coalition for Biomolecular Products, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0336, USA.
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Tan GY, Bi JM, Zhang MH, Feng JH, Xie P, Zheng SS. Effects of chromium picolinate on oxidative damage in primary piglet hepatocytes. Biol Trace Elem Res 2008; 126 Suppl 1:S69-79. [PMID: 18802674 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-008-8216-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2008] [Accepted: 08/12/2008] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Chromium picolinate is a popular nutritional supplement whose safety has been questioned because of the potential risk of oxidative DNA damage. To investigate this possibility, a dose-dependent study was performed in piglet hepatocyte cultures in which low (8 microM), medium (200 microM), and high (400 microM) doses of chromium picolinate were tested and compared to untreated controls. After 48 h incubation, there were no significant differences in the levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species, medium lactate dehydrogenase activity, and comet indicators between the three experimental groups and controls (p > 0.05). In the 8 microM-treated group, the intracellular malondialdehyde content was significantly decreased relative to controls (p < 0.05). All of the studied parameters showed a dose-dependent increase that was statistically significant between the low and high doses (p < 0.05). These results suggest that: (1) chromium picolinate may affect the oxidative status of piglet hepatocytes; (2) the appropriate dose (approximately physiological concentration) of chromium picolinate can inhibit lipid peroxidation, and (3) high doses of chromium picolinate have no significant effects on oxidative damage in piglet hepatocytes, but the existing evidence also imply that exposure to a higher dose appears to be unwarranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gao-Yi Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, People's Republic of China
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Feiner JJ, McNurlan MA, Ferris RE, Mynarcik DC, Gelato MC. Chromium picolinate for insulin resistance in subjects with HIV disease: a pilot study. Diabetes Obes Metab 2008; 10:151-8. [PMID: 18190429 DOI: 10.1111/j.1463-1326.2006.00681.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
AIM Multidrug regimens in HIV disease are associated with an increased incidence of insulin resistance, by as much as 50%. Not only does insulin resistance predisposes subjects to diabetes but also it is associated with the metabolic syndrome and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Previous studies suggest that chromium picolinate can improve insulin resistance in patients with type 2 diabetes. The objective was to study the efficacy and safety of chromium picolinate as a treatment of insulin resistance in subjects infected with HIV. METHODS The ability of chromium picolinate (1000 mug/day) to improve insulin sensitivity, determined with a hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic insulin clamp, was determined in eight HIV-positive subjects on highly active antiretroviral therapy. RESULTS The mean rate of glucose disposal during the clamp was 4.41 mg glucose/kg lean body mass (LBM)/min (range 2.67-5.50), which increased to 6.51 mg/kg LBM/min (range 3.19-12.78, p = .03), an increase of 25% after 8 weeks of treatment with chromium picolinate. There were no significant changes in blood parameters, HIV viral burden or CD4+ lymphocytes with chromium picolinate treatment. Two subjects experienced abnormalities of liver function during the study. Another subject experienced an elevation in blood urea nitrogen. CONCLUSIONS The study shows that chromium picolinate therapy improves insulin resistance in some HIV-positive subjects, but with some concerns about safety in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- J J Feiner
- Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, NY 11794-8154, USA
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Vinson JA. So many choices, so what's a consumer to do?: A commentary on "Effect of chromium niacinate and chromium picolinate supplementation on lipid peroxidation, TNF-alpha, IL-6, CRP, glycated hemoglobin, triglycerides, and cholesterol levels in blood of streptozotocin-treated diabetic rats". Free Radic Biol Med 2007; 43:1121-3. [PMID: 17854707 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2007.06.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2007] [Accepted: 06/19/2007] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Joe A Vinson
- Department of Chemistry, Loyola Hall, The University of Scranton, Scranton, PA 18510, USA.
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Abstract
The nutritional biochemistry of trivalent Cr has been a poorly understood field of study; investigations of the biochemistry of the other essential transition metals have not proven as problematic. Despite over four decades of endeavour, only recently has a picture of the role of Cr potentially started to be defined. The biologically-relevant form is the trivalent ion. Cr3+appears to be required for proper carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in mammals, although fortunately Cr deficiency is difficult to achieve. Conditions that increase circulating glucose and insulin concentrations increase urinary Cr output. Cr is probably excreted in the form of the oligopeptide chromodulin. Chromodulin may be the key to understanding the role of Cr at a molecular level, as the molecule has been found to bind to activated insulin receptor, stimulating its kinase activity. A mechanism for the action of chromodulin has recently been proposed; this mechanism can serve as a potential framework for further studies to test the role of Cr in metabolism. An examination of the nutritional supplement chromium picolinate illustrates some of the difficulties associated with these biochemical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- John B Vincent
- Department of Chemistry and Coalition for Biomolecular Products, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0336, USA.
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Coryell VH, Stearns DM. Molecular analysis of hprt mutations induced by chromium picolinate in CHO AA8 cells. Mutat Res 2006; 610:114-23. [PMID: 16877033 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrgentox.2006.06.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/05/2006] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Chromium picolinate (CrPic) is a popular dietary supplement, marketed to the public for weight loss, bodybuilding, and control of blood sugar. Recommendations for long-term use at high dosages have led to questions regarding its safety. Previous studies have reported that CrPic can cause chromosomal aberrations and mutations. The purpose of the current work was to compare the mutagenicity of CrPic as a suspension in acetone versus a solution in DMSO, and to characterize the hprt mutations induced by CrPic in CHO AA8 cells. Treatments of 2% acetone or 2% DMSO alone produced no significant increase in 6-thioguanine (6-TG)-resistant mutants after 48 h exposures. Mutants resistant to 6-TG were generated by exposing cells for 48 h to 80 microg/cm(2) CrPic in acetone or to 1.0mM CrPic in DMSO. CrPic in acetone produced an average induced mutation frequency (MF) of 56 per 10(6) surviving cells relative to acetone solvent. CrPic in acetone was 3.5-fold more mutagenic than CrPic in DMSO, which produced an MF of 16.2. Characterization of 61 total mutations in 48 mutants generated from exposure to CrPic in acetone showed that base substitutions comprised 33% of the mutations, with transversions being predominant; deletions made up 62% of the mutations, with one-exon deletions predominating; and 1-4 bp insertions made up 5% of the characterized mutations. CrPic induced a statistically greater number of deletions and a statistically smaller number of base substitutions than have been measured in spontaneously generated mutants. These data confirm previous studies showing that CrPic is mutagenic, and support the contention that further study is needed to verify the safety of CrPic for human consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginia H Coryell
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Northern Arizona University, PO Box 5698, Flagstaff, AZ 86011-5698, United States
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Rajpathak S, Rimm EB, Li T, Morris JS, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC, Hu FB. Lower toenail chromium in men with diabetes and cardiovascular disease compared with healthy men. Diabetes Care 2004; 27:2211-6. [PMID: 15333486 DOI: 10.2337/diacare.27.9.2211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Chromium may improve insulin sensitivity, which can modify the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Therefore, we evaluated the association between toenail chromium and CVD in diabetic men. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We performed cross-sectional and nested case-control analyses among men aged 40-75 years within the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. The cross-sectional analysis compared men with diabetes only (n = 688), diabetes with prevalent CVD (n = 198), and healthy control subjects (n = 361). The nested case-control study included 202 men with baseline diabetes who developed incident CVD and 361 matched control subjects. RESULTS Mean toenail chromium (microg/g) was 0.71 in healthy control subjects, 0.61 in diabetes-only subjects, and 0.52 in diabetic subjects with prevalent CVD (P for trend = 0.003). In the cross-sectional analysis, the multivariate odds ratio (OR) between extreme quartiles was 0.74 (95% CI 0.49-1.11; P for trend = 0.18), comparing diabetes only with healthy control subjects. A similar comparison between diabetic subjects with prevalent CVD and healthy control subjects yielded an OR of 0.45 (0.24-0.84; P for trend = 0.003). In the nested case-control study, comparing diabetic men with incident CVD with healthy control subjects, the multivariate OR was 0.65 (0.36-1.17; P for trend = 0.16) between extreme quartiles. When we combined prevalent and incident CVD cases among diabetic men and compared them with healthy control subjects, the OR was 0.62 (0.39-1.01; P for trend = 0.02) between extreme quartiles. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that diabetic men with CVD have lower toenail chromium than healthy control subjects. However, this study could not distinguish between the effects of chromium on diabetes and those on CVD. Long-term clinical trials are needed to determine whether chromium supplementation is beneficial for preventing CVD among diabetic patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swapnil Rajpathak
- Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02120, USA.
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Vincent JB. The potential value and toxicity of chromium picolinate as a nutritional supplement, weight loss agent and muscle development agent. Sports Med 2003; 33:213-30. [PMID: 12656641 DOI: 10.2165/00007256-200333030-00004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
The element chromium apparently has a role in maintaining proper carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in mammals. As this role probably involves potentiation of insulin signalling, chromium dietary supplementation has been postulated to potentially have effects on body composition, including reducing fat mass and increasing lean body mass. Because the supplement is absorbed better than dietary chromium, most studies have focused on the use of chromium picolinate [Cr(pic)(3)]. Cr(pic)(3) has been amazingly popular with the general public, especially with athletes who may have exercise-induced increased urinary chromium loss; however, its effectiveness in manifesting body composition changes has been an area of intense debate in the last decade. Additionally, claims have appeared that the supplement might give rise to deleterious effects. However, over a decade of human studies with Cr(pic)(3) indicate that the supplement has not demonstrated effects on the body composition of healthy individuals, even when taken in combination with an exercise training programme. Recent cell culture and in vivo rat studies have indicated that Cr(pic)(3) probably generates oxidative damage of DNA and lipids and is mutagenic, although the significance of these results on humans taking the supplement for prolonged periods of time is unknown and should be a focus for future investigations. Given that in vitro studies suggest that other forms of chromium used as nutritional supplements, such as chromium chloride, are unlikely to be susceptible to generating this type of oxidative damage, the use of these compounds, rather than Cr(pic)(3), would appear warranted. Potential neurological effects (both beneficial and deleterious) from Cr(pic)(3) supplementation require further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- John B Vincent
- Department of Chemistry and Coalition for Biomolecular Products, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487-0336, USA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nanne Kleefstra
- Department of Internal Medicine, Isala Clinics, Weezenlanden Location, Zwolle, The Netherlands
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Althuis MD, Jordan NE, Ludington EA, Wittes JT. Glucose and insulin responses to dietary chromium supplements: a meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr 2002; 76:148-55. [PMID: 12081828 DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/76.1.148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 138] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Several authors, mostly on the basis of nonrandomized studies, have suggested dietary trivalent chromium supplementation as an attractive option for the management of type 2 diabetes and for glycemic control in persons at high risk of type 2 diabetes. OBJECTIVE The study aimed to determine the effect of chromium on glucose and insulin responses in healthy subjects and in individuals with glucose intolerance or type 2 diabetes. DESIGN The study design was a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials (RCTs). RESULTS The authors identified 20 reports of RCTs assessing the effect of chromium on glucose, insulin, or glycated hemoglobin (Hb A(1c)). This review summarizes data on 618 participants from the 15 trials that reported adequate data: 193 participants had type 2 diabetes and 425 were in good health or had impaired glucose tolerance. The meta-analysis showed no association between chromium and glucose or insulin concentrations among nondiabetic subjects. A study of 155 diabetic subjects in China showed that chromium reduced glucose and insulin concentrations; the combined data from the 38 diabetic subjects in the other studies did not. Three trials reported data on Hb A(1c): one study each of persons with type 2 diabetes, persons with impaired glucose tolerance, and healthy subjects. The study of diabetic subjects in China was the only one to report that chromium significantly reduced Hb A(1c). CONCLUSIONS Data from RCTs show no effect of chromium on glucose or insulin concentrations in nondiabetic subjects. The data for persons with diabetes are inconclusive. RCTs in well-characterized, at-risk populations are necessary to determine the effects of chromium on glucose, insulin, and Hb A(1c).
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Abstract
The results of a recent placebo-controlled intervention trial in China show beneficial effects of chromium supplementation in type II diabetes. Before extrapolating the results to Western populations, however, large-scale placebo-controlled studies in Westerners are necessary to confirm the positive results.
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Affiliation(s)
- M K Hellerstein
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of California, Berkeley 94720-3104, USA
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